Telischi Named Interim Chair

Imagine growing up without hearing the sounds of childhood: the bells on an ice cream truck, Saturday morning cartoons, your mother's voice. Hundreds of children from South Florida and around the world have been spared that fate thanks to the groundbreaking work of Thomas J. Balkany, M.D., who recently stepped down as chair of otolaryngology at the Miller School.

Balkany is considered one of the world's leading experts on cochlear implants and has performed more than 1,500, many of those at the UM Cochlear Implant Center he built into one of the busiest and most comprehensive programs in the country.

"My decision to step down as chair was really a personal one," explains Balkany. "It will allow me to focus my efforts on my passions, which are cochlear implantation and the UM Ear Institute."

Balkany joined the Miller School in 1990 as vice chair and director of the institute, a role he will now resume. When he was named chair in 2000, he appointed Fred Telischi, M.D., director of the institute, and in perfect symmetry, Telischi has now been named interim chair of the department.

"Even though I have known Fred since he was a resident, I have never considered him anything but a full, equal partner, and I feel very proud that he's our interim chair," said Balkany.

As Balkany reflects on his almost decade-long tenure, he says the best thing is that he never loses touch with his cochlear implant patients. "As they grow their computers need reprogramming to maximize their hearing, so we are always in touch with patients across the country and around the world."

To get an idea of how far cochlear implantation has come, Balkany says you only need to attend one of the institute's annual picnics. "In the beginning there would be 10 or 20 children attending -- now there are hundreds. It's just incredible to see these children all grown up with children of their own, and they are fully educated and able to listen and talk with their implants turned on. It doesn't get any better than that."

During his tenure the department's national reputation has grown significantly. It is consistently ranked in the top 20 by U.S. News & World Report. In the past year, Balkany has also realized the dream of moving the ear institute into a spacious new facility in the Clinical Research Building.

"Nobody accomplishes good things by themselves; this was a group effort and I share all the credit with our faculty," said Balkany. "By far our biggest accomplishment is the care we provide. The relationship with your patient never varies and is something you can always count on, and that relationship must take precedence over the research, education and administration -- it's the most important thing we do."

Balkany will get no argument about that from Telischi. "We will continue our clinical excellence while we even further expand the research division," said Telischi.

While the UM Ear Institute is near and dear to his heart, Telischi says he also sees great things ahead for other areas in the department such as head and neck cancer services, sinus and voice treatments, pediatrics, and facial and reconstructive surgeries.

"Tom has been a fantastic example of what a chairman should be, and I hope I can build on his successes," said Telischi. "What makes a successful chair is the great faculty that surrounds them, and we have terrific faculty."